The House Courts and Criminal Code Committee heard SB 385, sponsored by Rep. McMillin and Rep. Truitt, on murder sentencing; aggravating circumstance. This bill permits the state to seek the death penalty or a sentence of life without parole for a murder committed in a building primarily used for educational purposes if the murder is committed on school property or in a building owned by a post-secondary educational institution and at a time when children are likely to be present (for a building on school property) or classes are in session (for a building owned by a post-secondary educational institution). This bill also authorizes the state to seek the death penalty or a sentence of life without parole for a murder committed in a building primarily used for religious worship if the murder is committed at a time when persons are likely to present for religious worship or education. A representative of the Indiana Catholic Conference and a representative from the Public Defenders Council testified against the bill. The bill was held to clarify language issues.
Read the bill at http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2015/bills/senate/385.